Sacredness in Tears
by Caera1996
Summary: Answers the prompt: 5 times Bones wiped away someone else's tears, and 1 time someone wiped away his.


Title: Sacredness in Tears  
Author: Caera1996  
Rating: PG  
W/C: 1,427  
Disclaimer: Not mine  
Summary: Answers the prompt "5 times Bones wiped away someone else's tears, and 1 time someone wiped away his."  
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**One**  
A perfect GPA meant absolutely nothing, Leonard decided, when it came time to putting theoretical into practice. It was his first rotation as a surgical intern. He was covering the ER, and he was scared shitless. He spent the first six hours of his shift praying that no one was going to need a surgeon while he was on.

Somewhere around his tenth hour, he was the only doctor (yeah, right…he was only ten hours older than a med student) available to handle a non-surgical patient. A little girl – seven, red hair, brown eyes, freckles – came in with a broken arm. Leonard examined her, comforted her, consoled her distraught parent. He spoke quietly to her, taking the time to bring her down for a scan of her arm himself, joked with her as she picked out the color of her cast, and wiped her tears with a tissue as the pain medication began to work and her discomfort lessened.

This, he thought. This he could do.

**Two**  
"Son…please. Please. I'm tired…so, so, tired and I can't do it any more. I can't…" Leonard's heart clenched as he watched his father struggle to keep his emotions under control, his face betraying the constant pain as the disease slowly won, despite everything they'd tried. "I can't watch your mother go through this – seeing me like this. It's killing her as surely as this damn disease is killing me. And I can't…can't do this to her anymore. I need you. I need your help." He looked up, imploring Leonard as tears of pain and loss and hurt spilled down his face.

Leonard leaned forward and tenderly wiped his father's gaunt cheeks, placed a kiss on his forehead. He swallowed hard, squeezing his eyes closed, forcing his own tears back. His father had given him everything. It was his turn now.

"Okay, Dad, okay. When?"

**Three**  
"Leonard, please don't go. You don't _have_ to go." Leonard sighed and picked up his second bag, adjusting the heavy duffle on his other shoulder. Sad, really, that he could pack what was rest of his life into two bags.

"Yeah, I do, Ma. There's nothing left for me here," he replied, not wanting to go over the old arguments again. Starfleet was something he'd ever considered before, but it offered two things that _almost_ outweighed his fear of dying in things that fly. A way to start over, a way to get his career back on track, and most importantly, a way to put this part of his life, and Jocelyn, firmly behind him.

"I'm here," his mother whispered. Closing his eyes briefly, he turned back to her. His eyes softened as he took in her tears. Reaching for her, he wrapped her in his arms, hugging her securely.

"It's not forever…I'll be at the Academy for years before I even get stationed anywhere." He pulled back to look at her, and gently wiped the tears off her cheeks with his thumbs.  
"I _need_ to do this, Ma. Please."

**Four**  
It was amazing they were all still alive. If he thought about it too much, Leonard would send himself into a tailspin of belated stress and panic attacks. He was exhausted, running on fumes, and very carefully not thinking of anything beyond the well-being of the souls on board the Enterprise as they limped home.

The events of the last few days, instigated by a madman bent on taking revenge for something no one in this universe had any damn thing to do with, were a blur. And he was focused on only one thing right now.

Jim.

Damn, smart-mouthed, over-confident brat had saved them all. First with that instant recall memory of his that made it possible to not only delay their arrival at Vulcan just long enough for them to not only miss the initial massacre, but also give Captain Pike vital information that gave them a fighting chance. And then his actions, that he fought for, endured being marooned for, somehow made it back to the Enterprise for, saved them all _again_. And now, Leonard needed to make sure Jim didn't need some saving himself.

Hours earlier, Jim had kept his promise and made it to Sickbay, where he allowed Leonard to tend to the worst of his injuries…and there was no shortage of them. He'd looked horrible – black and blue, various cuts and scrapes everywhere, and was absolutely exhausted. But the worst thing was the look in his eyes – as if here holding it together by only the barest of threads for the benefit of everyone else. He hurried to his quarters where he'd sent Jim to sleep a couple of hours ago, wanting to check to make sure he was okay, and resting…and just to reassure himself that Jim was here.

Entering the darkened quarters, Leonard paused, listening. As his eyes adjusted to the low light, he saw Jim huddled under the blankets in his bed…and it sounded like he was crying. Quickly Leonard kicked off his shoes, stripped down to his boxers and grabbed a t-shirt out of the bag he never got the chance to unpack. Detouring to the head, he dampened a washcloth in cold water and brought it with him.

"Jim?" he whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed and gently placing a hand on his back. He could feel him shaking as he pressed his face to a pillow, heard him try to choke back the sobs wracking his frame. Leonard sighed and urged Jim to move over slightly, making room. Lying beside him, face to face, Leonard wiped Jim's face with the cool cloth, mindful of the injuries and lingering tenderness. Jim took a shuddering breath and met Leonard's eyes.

"All those innocent people Bones," he whispered, voice broken and rough. "All of our own…all of Vulcan. If – if I'd been…faster…" Jim trailed off, tears spilling over once again as Bones guided his head down to his shoulder and held him tightly.

"No, Jim. No. Not your fault…and _we're_ alive…Earth is safe…because of you."

**Five**  
Nyota sniffed, eyes focused on her lap where her hands were clenched around a tissue.

"I just didn't realize he was feeling that way. I thought…I thought I was enough," she said. Leonard leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees, trying to catch Nyota's eyes, and biting back the automatic retort he had about the green-blooded hobgoblin _feeling_ anything.

"Darlin'," he said. "It's not a matter of being 'enough'. People change. Spock was a different person before…what happened. So were you. The universe is different – everything's changed. Spock has responsibilities now that he didn't have before. And if he's not strong enough to give you everything you deserve, and handle the way his life has changed, then I'm glad he was man enough to admit it. Because as much as this hurts, I can tell you from experience that being with someone who can't meet you where you are hurts more." Plucking another tissue from the box, he urged Nyota to look up with his hand under her chin. He smiled slightly, and delicately dabbed the tears off her pretty face. "Just you wait. Things will work out exactly the way they're supposed to, and you'll be just fine."

"How can you be so certain?" she asked. Leonard shrugged.

"I just know it," he said.

**And One**  
Leonard looked between the ring, and the man holding it out to him, shock registering clearly on his face. Jim was talking…he had to force himself to concentrate to hear him over the thudding in his ears.

"…last five years. You've been everything to me…my best friend, my doctor, my confidant…" he paused and smiled, eyes twinkling. "My lover. My partner in everything we do. I need you in my life, Bones. I love you, and I want you with me, in every way I can have you. Will you marry me?"

Leonard opened his mouth, but found he didn't have the air necessary to make a sound. And why was everything so blurry? In front of him, Jim's features swam, and he barely registered the feel of warm tears splashing over his face. Jim smiled at him, as always understanding even when he just couldn't find the words. He cupped Leonard's face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears. He kissed Leonard, and he couldn't imagine there being a day when he didn't have Jim. Pulling back slightly, Jim searched his eyes and Leonard took a breath, gaining his voice back.

"Yes."


End file.
